How Easily They Turn
by piKnic
Summary: In the fledgling days of Maverick Hunter, Sigma and Zero are on the force as allies... but one is destined to turn. 8 chapters total plus epilogue.
1. Bonds of Metal and Blood

**How Easily They Turn**

The wind at once whistled and howled as it whipped down the deserted streets. The city, although now entirely evacuated of survivors and devoid of life, seemed always in motion as the wind slapped at the tattered remnants of flags and banners, blew the melted doors open and shut on wailing hinges, and tossed about what sand it could, unable to lift much of the blood-soaked soil from the ground.

Nearly swallowed by the winds stood the two lone figures, whose efforts had come too late. The hard light of the bright, pale sun made stark silhouettes of their forms, disguising their faces even from each other. Their 6-o'clock shadows stretched like elongated spectres before them, shrouding their motionless prey, which was no longer much more than a husk of charred metal and singed wires. The odd robotic appendages strewn to either side were the only thing in the whole city bearing a resemblance to their former selves.

A suitably grim end to the darkest day in their lives.

For a long time there would be not a word spoken between them. When first a voice was heard, it was Zero.

"So, that's the end of that."

He cut into the silence as they rode aboard the transport headed for the nearest outpost of Maverick Hunter HQ, where they would be within teleporting range back to the base. They had taken Hover Speeder Bikes from the same outpost earlier that day into the city, where a heavy-lifting Reploid had turned its builder's hands to wreaking havoc, having gone violently Maverick – the only kind of Maverick – and reducing the human town to its current state.

A class-A Maverick, meaning one large and capable enough to cause widespread destruction and death. For Sigma, the first he'd encountered, but for Zero, the most recent in a line of many. But however many battles he'd fought, Zero hadn't grown callous at heart, and was sensitive to his new partner's obvious distress over the day's proceedings. He was trying in a feeble attempt to forge a rapport at this critical time.

The effort was indeed all he could muster in his own humbled awe at the sheer destructive force of the rampaging robot they had just felled today. No, not robot. Reploid. Even if in its madness, it had reverted to being nothing but a machine gone haywire. No matter how many times he wielded power that matched his adversaries', Zero always felt his grip on the Lazer Blade to be a little tenuous, his speed with the blaster the least bit hesitant. But neither would be called upon until another day – the hilt of the now-retracted blade, ever strapped to his back, was nestled snugly between himself and the wall, and his blaster, which materialized through teleportation over his left hand, was now safely in storage.

With a shake of his head, he snapped out of his reverie back to the moment at hand, and awaited any acknowledgment from his counterpart.

Sigma's gaze hadn't shifted at the intrusion on the silence, nor during Zero's prolonged thought, nor did it as Zero presently eyed him. He looked, Zero thought worriedly, nearly powered down, he was that still. The ride rumbled and shook as it took a divot in the sands, and yet still Sigma sat.

"You seem really disturbed by this. Maybe this isn't really a good choice for you," Zero offered. The silence was a little too eerie for his liking. "There're a lot of ways a Reploid can aid the effort against the Mavericks without force. Right in the Hunter's HQ, in fact, we have openings in Search and Rescue, Recovery, and Restoration --"

"I like it. I like it just fine." Sigma finally turned a grinning face towards Zero. His simple gesture, a sideways smirk, revealed much – ambition, eagerness, anticipation for more, a thirst laden with the darkest of desires.

"I want more."


	2. A Mounting Suspicion

_It's just a stupid hunch_, Zero thought, now alone in his private quarters. He pulled off his helmet, giving his head a few shakes that spilled his long, flaxen hair out of its standard ponytail into shiny, straight locks that covered his entire back. The gesture always loosened the tension of a hard day's work, and signalled an end of his duty to all who knew him.

But Zero had few callers, as only the Hunter elite could identify with the tribulations of his everyday life, and fewer of those could he call true equals. They tended to be a snobbish lot, full of hot air and blowing it out whenever possible, and although they showed no apparent dislike for Zero, they never truly accepted the outsider amongst their ranks.

So, in the evenings, Zero, reserved and aloof, would keep mostly to himself, busying his mind with quiet pursuits such as reading. But on this evening, he was much too preoccupied for that.

He sank heavily into the simple, spongy armchair placed in each Hunter's room. Unlike humans, Reploids didn't need comfort to maintain good health, but rather regarded it as a humanizing amenity when they didn't need a full recharging in their stasis chambers. Although at this point, in his exhaustion, his thoughts turned to powering down.

No, not yet, not before he decided how to handle the matter of Sigma. Founded on one day's events, he knew his concerns would launch no investigation or background check on Sigma by Maverick Hunter. Rather than get himself embroiled in the bitter complaint process and have to deal with the backlash, he decided simply to sidebar his suspicions about Sigma, and "sleep" with his sword at the ready.

Besides, he wouldn't want to risk being wrong about Sigma entirely. But his intuition was rarely wrong, and, being largely of the pessimistic nature, this was much to his chagrin.

_Oh well. _He flicked off the lamp for the night.


	3. The Nightly Visitors

That night, when all the humans were asleep in their beds and the Reploids in their stasis chambers, a clinking of metallic feet on the steel floors registered faintly on Zero's auditory sensors. As the sound grew closer and more frequent, Zero's sensors alerted him to the encroaching presence, powering him full on in defense. The surge was always an unwelcome jolt to his systems, but however alarmed, Zero lay in wait, feigning "sleep", to have the advantage of surprise over his would-be adversary.

Zero listened intently to the steps for clues. A few clinks later, Zero knew the presence was bipedal. Yet a few more, and he gauged it to be a Reploid slightly larger than himself. Three more steps, and an intruder was in his midst.

Zero's right arm was primed to draw the blade on his back, his left was uncomfortably hot inside with the swirling plasma of a concealed, fully-charged blast. Yet he kept perfectly still, and the presence was fooled enough to begin speaking openly, though keeping to a hushed whisper.

The voice was unmistakably Sigma's.

"Yes, this Zero, he may be pretty strong now, but his self-doubt holds him back. He'll be a truly formidable ally later, and doubt himself no more. There's nothing to fear from him as long as he doubts."

_Clink, clink. Clink, clink. _He paced back and forth in what Zero could only imagine was quiet contemplation, or rising madness. Zero nearly hissed. A potential danger to all of Maverick Hunter lurked in its very halls, of this much he was certain, and he would resign himself to this, playing possum rather than protecting himself and others?

But the hint of trepidation in Sigma's step let him know that Sigma could do no harm, not now. Whether it was a reconnaissance mission of some sort or just idle speculation that led him here, Sigma was not yet a threat.

Suddenly, the room fell eerily silent. Zero strained for any cue to indicate Sigma had gone, but when he got no such cue, he knew Sigma was still in his midst, and waited.

When next Sigma spoke, it was with the _sound_ of his own voice, but the manner, the character, belonged to someone _else_. It gave a response to Sigma's assessment of Zero.

"No. He is as an unmanned ship, his course difficult to chart, his movements unpredictable. A wildcard in our perfectly chosen hand. Deep within, in a part of himself he chooses to ignore or has simply forgotten, he is conscious of his purpose. But until he realizes that, he is our _enemy_, and a threat. Something must be done to ensure he not be a factor to our survival, since he will act of his own accord if necessary."

Sigma shot back at his own statement. "If we act too hastily, we'll only ensure that he join the fight against us. We must appeal to him, to his sympathies. Then I believe we'll get our desired result."

Zero waited. For a long time, no further words came. He counted the seconds, the milliseconds, the nanoseconds. _What the hell is going on?_ In the silence of his room, the suspense numbed his other senses.

Into the silence crashed the voice one last time, which, even at a whisper, startled Zero so that he flinched. Dearly hoping Sigma hadn't noticed, he tensed for combat. But the voice went on, and Zero felt at once great relief and great apprehension.

"Agreed. Do as you see fit. Turn him, and your hand will hold all the cards."

And with that, Sigma's footsteps echoed down the hall and faded from Zero's sensors.


	4. Prelude to A Future Reunion

The following morning, the conference room at Hunter HQ was packed to the rafters with Reploids of all makes and models, all of them hopefuls for the current wave of recruitment. More and more cases of Reploids gone Maverick had been cropping up of late, and so the ranks of the Hunters needed to be increased as much as possible while also being replenished as more and more of their own were put to scrap. The job carried that convenient occupational hazard – those who were unfit to serve were quickly put off duty by the opposition; however, although the screening process had been loosened in this time of urgent need, none of the Hunters had thus far turned Maverick themselves. The losses were not taken lightly, though, and it was the aim of all who joined forces with Maverick Hunter that those losses not be in vain.

Zero was on his way to the inaugural ceremony for new members of the force, as were most of the Reploids in the present mob that filled the halls. In the hustle and bustle that surrounded recruitment, through the sea of unfamiliar faces, Zero spotted Sigma. He'd been looking for him, but had been conveniently unable to find him. Until now. But Sigma headed in the opposite direction, weaving his way through the stifling traffic with purpose in his step.

Zero thought a moment, decided that his presence would not be sorely missed at the ceremony, and turned to work his way back against the swelling current of people of machines. At first, he politely manoeuvred this way and that past his obstacles, keeping an eye forever trained on his target whilst it disappeared behind larger Reploids, only to emerge seconds later in an even further spot.

_I'm letting him get away_, Zero lamented, craning his neck as he now pushed his way past all comers to keep Sigma in his sights. An angry word from the odd stranger resounded now and then above the din of the crowd, but Zero paid them no heed. He would have broken into a full-speed sprint if he could, and his frustrations were growing. _Why today, of all days…?_

Suddenly, his footing lost, Zero panicked as he felt himself become airborne. Time stood still for a moment before he fell to the floor with a crack of his helmet as it struck the grimy floor tile. When the stars cleared from his vision, the view around him showed many feet in motion.

Many feet, he thought, that would soon be upon him if he didn't stand up.

Collecting himself, he rose as far as his knees before his head was jerked back. A sharp pain shot through his scalp as a foot trampled his hair and stapled it to the ground. He let out a cry, but the foot remained in place. Furious now, Zero lifted the foot with all his might, until it finally gave way and released him. He got to his feet.

"I'm so sorry," he heard in a female Reploid's voice, the apologetic face of his assailant regarding him as he scanned the crowd for Sigma. He saw no sign of him.

_Dammit. She made me lose him! _Zero heaved a sigh and slackened his shoulders as defeat settled in.

The girl continued to apologize, but Zero barely heard a word of it. When he turned to face her, it was a beautiful girl that stared back, with long brown hair covered by a beret that came up to his chin, and glittering, worried blue eyes that pierced his own.

He followed her gaze as it fell upon his hair, and saw that a great muddy footprint marred his ponytail, having broken and frayed several hairs. She outstretched a hand and retracted it, as though afraid to touch the damage.

His anger turned to embarrassment and the breath caught in his throat as he fumbled his reply.

"Oh, me?" he stalled, gathering his wits, "I'm fine, I… sorry, I… didn't mean to be so rude… thank you..." He winced at the disorder of his stuttered words, and tried to recover, mind racing for a next move.

"I'm Zero. I work here." He winced again.

The girl's eyes widened and her jaw dropped into a huge grin in surprise. "Zero! The famous S-Rank Maverick Hunter, that Zero?" She laughed her recognition, bounding giddily and clasping his hand with both of hers, giving it a hearty shake. He looked on awkwardly, unsure of how to react.

"It is such an honor to meet you! You're a hero to all of us trying to join Maverick Hunter! I'm Iris, though I'm sure that doesn't mean a thing to someone like you!" She removed the top hand and fanned her face with it. "Of course, I don't mean to say you don't care, but I'm not famous unlike yourself… oh my goodness, do I ever feel foolish, gushing like this!"

Zero had all but forgotten about his mission. Not only did he have admirers, but they were perfect strangers. Beautiful ones, to boot. _The other Hunters can read it and weep_, he thought to himself smugly… but quickly got his ego in check.

"Oh, Iris, I have to go. I was looking for someone but I lost him," he explained as best he could. Then he had an idea.

"Did you see a ..." he struggled to give distinguishing traits, "bald, well-armored Reploid with …beady eyes go this way?" It was worth a shot.

"Yes I did as a matter of fact. He pushed past me so roughly!" Iris scowled. "Then he went down that hall." She pointed to a small, unpopulated corridor behind them.

"Oh, that's great, thanks." He turned to leave, but caught himself. "I've got to be going now," he said, "but good luck today. Maybe I'll see you again some time."

With that he left, Iris watching his back as he went.


	5. What Trickery Is This?

Zero stole away down the small offshoot of the main corridor, far removed from the many voices and laughter that now rang in his ears. The hall before him was so entrenched in darkness it was as though a ray of light had never touched the place, so quiet it was as though a sound had never disturbed the silence. It felt like his sensors may be malfunctioning or jammed entirely, but despite his nasty fall, he knew it wasn't so. It was probably a newer wing of the building that was destined to be occupied by the next wave of Hunters, still under construction and currently off-limits.

_Which makes me a trespasser_, he thought with some annoyance at violating code. His jealous cohorts would have no end of fun reminding him of that, but he eschewed that train of thought much as he did them. Right now, the one who lurked within his midst was much more important.

He turned on his night vision and off the light that his helmet produced out of its central green "V", completely cloaking himself in darkness. Assured now that he wasn't simply blind as craggy cement walls and exposed electrical wiring came dustily into view, he quickened his pace. As though to confirm his earlier convictions, a sign appeared in front of him that read,

"_Danger! Construction ahead. Restricted Access"_

He felt the knot that had formed in his stomach - a function, he could only guess, which was programmed by some puritanical human - tighten as he read it. What could Sigma possibly be thinking, coming down this hall? As long as the answer eluded him, Zero would never feel prepared for what he stood to find down this hall, never be able to formulate the tactics at which he so excelled, and that irritated him.

As he cautiously progressed, strafing alongside the inside wall, down the seemingly endless granite hall, it became less and less finished, in its present state more of a tunnel. None of the rooms had yet been carved out of the soil - for it was entirely underground that the living quarters of Maverick Hunter ran - so Zero, keeping his back to the wall and moving at a maddeningly slow pace, needed only keep his eyes front. He scanned every inch of the earthen surface around him relentlessly for signs of his quarry.

The sound of a helpless, tearful voice shattered his concentration and stopped him cold.

"Help me… help me…" it wafted weakly down the hall. Zero struggled to pinpoint the source of the plea, the reverberation of the halls fooling his sensors. He broke into a restrained trot, eyes darting frantically to locate the voice's owner.

Finally, the end of the hall came to meet him. A dead end. But wait, a room! Adjacent to the end of the hall, a room had been hollowed out. Except… no, this was no planned construction – the gaping, jagged hole that served as an entryway bore burn marks along its circumference, meaning that the room had been _blasted_ out of the rock. The uneven, concave terrain within confirmed that indeed, a _large_ blaster had been used, forming a gigantic crater in the side of the earth.

Zero raised a foot over the threshold, blaster held close to his chest, and peered inside. Not but a metre away from him, a pile of rubble filled the collapsed far end of the room. From within the mound, a hand emerged, resting limply atop the rocks. The voice had fallen silent.

Zero bounded towards the heap, working fast to uncover its trapped victim. He dug fiercely, thankful that his reinforced, pain-resistant white gloves allowed him no distractions. His eyes shone as more and more dust entered them, small rocks scraping the polished sheen of his metal armor, but he ploughed on mercilessly, until an arm was visible, then, a dirt-caked body covered in a fine layer of sooty sand, and finally…

It was Sigma's face.

"How can this be!" Zero thought aloud, taking a step back. "His voice seemed entirely different… again… just what is going on with this guy?"

Sigma looked entirely prostrate, some sharp rocks having sliced into his energy unit, which now oozed a translucent, green fluid from his abdomen. His systems had suspended themselves to prevent further circulation to the area and more leakage. Zero knelt down on a knee and looked upon his broken partner, ashamed of the hesitation that gripped him.

_What was he possibly thinking… _Zero considered all the possibilities. His intuition settled on the idea that he was being set up, that Sigma would have him take the fall for his injury, and that his career would be ruined. He again cursed his pessimism, and resigned himself to what he knew he must do.

He scooped up his fallen comrade and trudged back to the main hall towards the infirmary, now emptied of all but some littered scraps of paper.


	6. Paranoid Reploid

With an inert Sigma in tow, Zero lumbered through the halls, metal joints aching from the strain of carrying the larger Reploid for so long. His mind was not so much on the pain, though, as it was on the thoughts that ricocheted off one another like meteors in his head, some being dissolved, and others amplified as he rationalized away each of his suspicions. The one notion that prevailed was not felt so much in his mind as it was as a sinking feeling that constricted his stomach – that he was being framed.

_I can see it now_, he thought with a smirk. _As soon as he comes to, he'll have it all figured out… "He chased me down to the construction and tried to bury me!" Damn good thing I didn't file that complaint, at least he can't plant a motive…_

Zero felt his legs give way beneath him; the fatigue had become much worse than he'd realized. He needed to stop and recharge for a bit; no one would notice a paranoid Reploid and his wounded charge in the abandoned hall. Setting Sigma down beside him, he slumped heavily against a wall, crossed his arms over his knees, and buried his head in them, wondering at what was to come.

He stayed lost to the world a while like that, unable to wrench his mind from its musings to the situation at hand. At least his energy unit was fast at work while he was idle, recharging his depleted cells and washing away the ache of his current trials. He didn't want to spend more time than was necessary just sitting around, but there was no danger in it, as everyone from Commander to civilian worker in the HQ was attending the inauguration. That would mean there was no one to attend to Sigma, either, but Zero would make do… somehow.

With his systems replenished, Zero lifted his head, with eyes still closed, to rest against the wall, and tilted it to the side to look at Sigma. But when he opened his eyes, the spot where he'd lain down his comrade was now vacant of all but a smear of fresh, green liquid. Zero blinked hard in his newfound alarm, as though the action would materialize Sigma into view, and jumped to his feet in one swift, solid motion.

_Where the hell did he go?_

Sigma hadn't gone far. In fact, as it now dawned upon Zero a moment too late, his plan was never one of idle treachery, weaving lies and ruining his reputation. He smiled wryly at his lapse in judgment, as might a man newly enlightened to the errors of his ways smile in the face of death.

Who Sigma could not turn, he would seek to destroy through more concrete means…

Zero didn't bother to turn around. The blaster jabbed into his back told him it would be unwise to make a move. But he didn't raise his arms, either, since surrender would be a useless gesture. The identity of his assailant, although his face was hidden to him, was no mystery, and Zero knew he would accept nothing short of his destruction.

"It seems like I misjudged you," Zero chuckled despondently, betraying the tension he felt within. "You knew I was listening that night in my room, didn't you?"

"Mmmhmmm," came a knowing reply, inflected in that sinister voice sounding nothing like his partner's, from what Zero was sure was a menacing grin. "And it couldn't be a more perfect day for me to enact the final stage of my plan. I knew it would be impossible to win your sympathies no matter what I did, Zero, as much as I knew I could never win you over with my true intentions."

Sigma took Zero by the shoulder with his free hand and roughly motioned him forward with the other, still planted firmly in the small of his back. Zero begrudgingly obliged, and kept pace with Sigma as he continued his insane diatribe.

"And what's more, I knew I could never best Maverick Hunter's brightest star in combat. But I read you very well, Zero – you're the pensive type, and when you're pensive, you're much less alert. You really shouldn't let down your defenses to daydream, you know, especially when the enemy is at your side, even if that enemy seems harmless."

"Right, right… it was foolish of me," Zero interjected, despite possessing the knowledge that a madman doesn't enjoy being interrupted. He hoped that by being agreeable he could spare himself having to hear more… and maybe stall Sigma a while.

"But why don't we stop for a while, and take a look at that nasty cut of yours? You can't do much in the state you're in." Wherever they were headed, Zero would rather a straight fight than to see other people or Reploids get hurt.

"Hahah, you can drop the charade, partner," Sigma chortled heartily. "I can see you're very worried about where this is heading… so I'll save you the suspense and let you be the first to know my secret plan."

Sigma's alter-ego grew gleeful at the prospect of unveiling his plot to his powerless captive, and Zero used the emotion to subtly slow his pace, hoping to weaken Sigma as the power fluid trickled from his gaping wound onto the floor. The fervour with which the words barrelled forth from Sigma showed no signs of weakening, but Zero knew the power of mind over matter all too well.

"I'm really still finalizing just how I'm going to pull it off," Sigma confided coolly, "but you're going to be my hostage. We're going to go to the ceremony, all right – and I'll demand to be made Commander, if anyone cares about your stinking shell." He giggled, freeing Zero's shoulder of his grip. "If somehow you can't convince them, the Mavericks I've scattered into the crowd will."

Zero felt the familiar tightness in his gut form a momentary stranglehold on his senses. A fiery retort rose to his tongue, but he quelled it. He mustn't let his emotions get the better of his judgment, not a second time.

"You have Mavericks at the ceremony? I think you should call them off. You're really in bad shape, and I don't think we're going to make it to there." Zero turned his head just enough to catch Sigma in his peripheral vision, clutching his stomach with a plasma-covered hand. Beneath his confident expression, he looked visibly pained. "What are they going to do when you don't show up?"

Zero was regretting the words before the last had left his mouth. He could see that Sigma, unable to answer rationally, was losing his cool. "Shut up! I'm in charge here. This plan won't fail. You're the failure up to this point! Just look at you, the mighty Zero, a hostage. MY hostage. Remember your place, and stop looking at me!" Sigma gave an angry nudge of his blaster, the stab of pain making Zero wince.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Zero, master negotiator, they would call him. Never propose scenarios for which your captor hasn't accounted. He made a face of disgust at his own ineptitude.

There were no further exchanges made between the two, their footsteps the lone sound in the empty halls, except for the sound of Sigma's breathing, which became ever hoarser and more laboured. They passed the infirmary, the cafeteria, the Command Center and the rest of the technical nervous system of Maverick Hunter; on and on they went until the cheers of a crowd came into earshot, then the large spiral staircases leading to the auditorium's balcony into sight not long after.

The knot twisted and turned in Zero's gut. Do or die time.


	7. A Coup Set In Motion

The auditorium was Maverick Hunter's single largest room, able to host a maximum of thirty-thousand occupants in its classical coliseum-style seating arrangement. It was also its newest and costliest superstructure, which many members of the organization regarded as nothing more than a grandiose public relations front for what few external affairs were conducted by the HQ – the press, indeed, enjoyed covering the events, and Maverick Hunter, in turn, enjoyed the positive publicity. Zero had always been rather fond of the pomp it represented, insofar as he wished that the job was anywhere near as glorious as that initial ceremony made it seem.

But true glory was not the lot of a Maverick Hunter, as true glory was a righteous satisfaction unmarred by such regret as that which haunted the sleep of every last member of the force. They never knew true peace in their work, menaced by the constant fear that at any moment, the ones whom they had come to trust would, by no fault of their own, turn against them, and need to be destroyed at their own hands. Eventually, the idea of trust became a foreign entity, replaced by a quiet enmity … especially for those who were different. As long as the Maverick threat persisted and their duty was necessitated, such suspicion and unrest was to be their lot in life.

Zero knew the discrimination better than anyone, and the pangs of regret most of all. Especially at this moment, where the intuition he had forcibly ignored, out of habit of suspecting the worst at all times, had landed him as a captive, and promised to endanger the safety of a full house in the auditorium ahead.

Today the press would get a different kind of story – a firsthand impression on the hideous underpinnings of Maverick Hunter.

_Click-clack, click-clack_. The ascent up the staircases, which Zero found sadly unguarded.

_Screeeech_. The door to the balcony opening, Sigma careful to quietly and quickly push it shut.

_Pitpitpit_. Their carpeted footsteps as they neared that open end of the balcony, where it would all end.

Applause were currently erupting as a blue two-tone Reploid received a handshake from the commander, Signas, on the stage that was at the center of the auditorium. Zero had been silently wondering how Sigma would project his voice over the din of the crowd, and apparently that was one eventuality Sigma had accounted for. With a dripping hand, he flicked a switch on his torso, the amplified sound of his breathing now enough to draw attention away from the stage.

The crowd collectively strained to see the source of the commotion above, gasps arising from some of the curious faces. As more and more people turned to stare, the curiosity turned to worry, and a distinct cry of "He's taken a hostage!" brought on full-blown panic.

"SILENCE! ALL OF YOU!" Sigma bellowed over the screams. "Shut up, or I'll shoot him! I'll shoot him and toss him over the side of this balcony!"

The screams ceased and the crowd quieted, as much as could be expected in a crowd its size. Zero's heart sank. He sincerely hoped the remaining noise wouldn't be enough to upset Sigma any further.

_Shut the hell up, all of you…_

"That's better." Sigma glared at the occupants of the balcony who hadn't run off once he showed up, quickly dispersing them. It was just Sigma and Zero up there, now, presiding over a ceremony frozen in terror.

A thought occurred to Zero, making his gut clench. He scanned the crowd intently, seeking the one face he would undoubtedly recognize… and finding it, his breath caught sharply in his throat.

_There, in the eighth row_.

Iris.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that I have your attention, I would like to announce my intentions here today. Thanks to my cooperative assistant, Zero, I'm sure you'll have no objections. And, to show that I'm serious…"

Sigma slammed Zero hard in the back with his shoulder, the brunt causing him to double over the railing. Zero caught his first dizzying glimpse of the ground directly below, which confirmed the lethality of a fall from their present height. But he knew there would be no such fall – Sigma required his continued service as a hostage to complete his objective. In fact, Zero thought, it could be that he was the safest member of the crowd that day.

A unanimous, sustained gasp of shock was heard, along with the clacking of shutters of news camera Reploids. The blow had been unexpectedly forceful given Sigma's condition, worsening the pain in the spot where he'd been jabbing Zero with his gun. Zero put his hands to the railing and pushed himself weakly upright, his eyes speaking a plea of apology into Iris's. She stared back, wide eyes shining, a concerned hand to her lips.

The moment he could make out Sigma in the corner of his eye, the first moment he'd seen him in full since he propped his inert body against the walls of the hallway, he was overcome with an anger so seething that made him tremble. _If anything happens to her, I'll… _ His face contorted into a mask of hate as the thought went through his mind. It was left unfinished as Sigma interrupted in his deafeningly loud baritone.

"Now then, my demands are quite simple, and I trust they will just as simply be met." Zero let out a yelp as Sigma yanked roughly at his hair, parading him along the length of the balcony. "I will be made the new Commander of Maverick Hunter, and my subordinates, who will now come forth from within the crowd, will replace the likes of this Hunter here," he gave another hard tug on Zero's hair, " and all of his comrades."

Zero's heart sank even further as nine apparent Mavericks, one of whom was among the chosen recruits onstage, revealed their concealed armaments and herded the audience into huddled masses at the end of each row. The lone aisle that led to the exit was now flooded top to bottom with terrified Reploids and people, some crying, others shouting.

The Mavericks had taken positions in each of the eight rows to oversee their operation. The coup would have been impressive in its organization if by its nature it didn't spur revulsion.

Signas hadn't moved from where he stood since the moment it had all begun, alone on the stage now save for the blue Reploid he had just inducted into the force. Zero was confused – the blue Reploid, who sported a plain-looking Buster-model blaster on his left arm, did not appear to be a ninth Maverick, yet he was acting as such, and no one was taking notice of the clandestine hand signals he was sending to the Commander. _Maybe a clever ploy of his own to save them both?_ Zero wondered, desperately hoping that Sigma would fail to take notice of the impostor.


	8. Breathless

Down below at centre stage, Commander Signas was observing with dismay the chaos around him. It was now a controlled chaos, at least, the order kept through sheer immobilizing terror, but Signas was dared not move so much as a finger. He could not act for fear of upsetting the delicate balance of the situation, but he couldn't just stand idly by and let his institution be overrun by miscreants.

The Reploid he'd just honoured, who stood a few feet to his right, had been trying to get his attention for some time now but to no avail. Finally, when Signas proved too absorbed in the unfolding scene, X gave up his bid to garner his attention, imperceptibly edging his way up to him.

X hadn't needed to be nominated for candidacy as a Maverick Hunter, only apply to enter the ranks as soon as he wished. Anyone with the slightest bit of historical knowledge knew that X was the famous Dr. Light's chef d'oeuvre, that X had been the prototype for all Reploids. At Maverick Hunter, they had been waiting a long time for X to arrive; X, however, ever the believer in peaceful resolutions, had been reticent to join.

"_Psst_", X whispered when he was finally within arm's length of Signas. "Commander."

Signas finally turned to face him, visibly surprised at the Reploid's current proximity. "X! Don't move any closer. They'll terminate anyone who causes a stir."

"Sigma only wants to terminate _you_", X intoned with a surreptitious glance towards the ringleader, "and I have a way to fool him into letting everyone go." He wrapped an arm around Signas' neck and put his blaster to his head.

"Just play along, okay?"

Before he could even answer, Signas felt a power surge ripple through him from head to toe, and knew that X had used a silenced stunner attachment. The shock, to his knowledge, was harmless, but totally paralyzing to its victim, who nevertheless remained conscious and aware.

X, meanwhile, had drawn some attention to himself. Many baffled faces took notice of his exploits, and soon, all were turned to observe the scene onstage.

"Fellow Mavericks", X boomed as loud as he could, "I have neutralized the Commander.

We are now free to install Sigma as the new leader of Maverick Hunter."

Zero, head still pulled back to face the ceiling, strained to see what was unfolding below. Would fooling them into believing another Maverick had emerged on the scene really work? Or had X really gone Maverick, too?

A murmur arose from the audience as Sigma evaluated this new 'Maverick'. With each passing moment that X's attempt remained unacknowledged, Zero thought it less and less likely that Sigma was falling for it. But Zero had no idea how often Sigma had conferred with his cronies, familiarizing himself with the newest additions. It stood to reason, however unlikely, that X had infiltrated his band of henchmen beforehand, just for this particular emergency.

Better yet, could X have gotten this far, unnoticed, if he _hadn't _done the preparations – earned their trust, proven his loyalty - beforehand? Zero felt a wave of relief sweep over him. If these ardent wishes proved true, then Maverick Hunter's newest acquisition was certainly crafty and competent.

Sigma's grip relaxed on Zero's ponytail ever so slightly, a lapse in his ongoing headache for which he was instantly grateful. "Very good, X. I'll be coming down shortly to make my first formal announcement as Commander."

The ruse was a success! Zero tried with all his might to maintain the sullen composure befitting of a hostage in light of this development, but in his mind he was already preparing for action.

A few moments later, Sigma had retraced his earlier steps with Zero, descending from the balcony down the spiral staircase, and stood poised at the door to the auditorium's stage. Although Zero could again no longer see him, the hesitation to proceed with his plan was clear in his very presence, although the reasons he hesitated were not.

_Does he suspect anything, after all?_ Zero thought. As the seconds passed, Sigma's breath quickening, his grip relaxing more and more as Zero's hair rustled with his tremors, his hostage finally realized the truth.

_He's got stagefright…even with such a captive audience._

After a moment's consideration of his earlier bungled hostage negotiations, Zero decided to employ a tactic of sympathy. "Hey, don't worry, you can do this", he offered in the most reassuring tone he could manage, then, sickened, wondered to himself if he was beginning to identify with his captor.

"I'm not so sure," Sigma warbled. His very words quivered with fright. "What will I say? I'm not a good public speaker."

Zero searched his soul for the patience to deal with this trivial delay in his freedom. "Just say whatever comes to mind. You've come this far without a hitch," he lied flawlessly, "and what with all the steps to your plan, that's really something. They're all gonna listen to what you have to say, so don't worry."

Sigma steadied himself, breathing a few long, mechanical breaths that reminded Zero of his injury. By now, he must have lost a lot of fluids, but his repair processes had probably stopped him from losing any more strength. Still, he was undoubtedly sapped to the point where he could easily be put out of commission.

"Okay, you're right. I don't need to worry, my plan can't fail… hahah…" He grunted his laughter between hacking coughs that reaffirmed the severity of his condition, then pushed open the doors, leading Zero through by the hair.

All eyes were on the two as they made their way across the velvet-carpeted floor of polished silver to the podium. It was the first time Zero had ever graced the stage himself, and he marvelled at its mirror-like qualities – the floor, the walls, and all the formations reflected his image, X's and Signas', and close behind, Sigma's. A bright green glow glinted back at him, every second step, from the far wall's surface – but it was not Sigma's energy unit that produced it. It was Zero's own shoulder that now trickled a stream of iridescent green, no doubt from the impact of Sigma's body blow on the balcony, and upon seeing it, Zero was reminded of the pain he'd incurred.

With pain and worry coursing like a whirlwind through his mind, the walk seemed to Zero like a prolonged death march. To regain his focus, he shifted his gaze, as much as his limited mobility permitted, to settle on Iris, whom he found easily in a bundle composed mainly of Reploids at the end of the eighth row. How small and far away she looked to him, kept in place by a roving animaloid Reploid modelled after a chameleon. Every few seconds, she rose to the tips of her toes to get a clear view of Zero, whose gaze unwaveringly remained fixed upon her.

Finally at the podium, X gave Sigma – or was it Zero? – a nod of acknowledgment, and moved the inert Signas aside. Sigma found and switched on the microphone, and took his place behind it. He held Zero off to one side of the tall, silver-plated structure, and with a final moment's hesitation, began a fear-fuelled oration.

"As your new Commander, let me congratulate you on the bloodless, non-violent restructuring of Maverick Hunter." He paused a moment, assessing the quiet reaction to his opening statement, then continued. "I'm sure once these initial, trying stages are over, you all will come to appreciate the order with which I lead us to the utopia we've all dreamed of."

Even as he stared longingly out at Iris, Zero could feel X's gaze urgently beckon his own. He turned his head right, and from the corner of his eye, saw X administer a shock remedy that would rouse Signas from his suspended state.

With his arms still raised in a show of surrender, Zero gave a subtle thumbs-up that he hoped only X would see. He did, and in one flowing movement, he raised his buster and let loose a shot of the same immobilizing agent as he had used on Signas. The shot hit its mark, and Sigma went falling to the ground, taking Zero down with him.

Thanks to the silencer, the Mavericks in the audience had heard nothing, and X's stealthy movements had also gone unnoticed. To all, it appeared as though Sigma had simply fainted. And while a clamour erupted from the crowd as Reploids and humans alike started fighting back against their captors, X sprang into action and began targeting the head Mavericks from the stage.

Zero sided-up from the floor and struggled to wrest himself free, hair now locked tight in the frozen grip of Sigma's hand, but found his effort next to impossible with the dead weight attached. He strained to painful lengths, grimacing as he swore his scalp and helmet might come clean off his head. No longer able to endure the pain, he collapsed back to the floor in a useless heap.

Suddenly, a new shadow came running across the stage, stopping to crouch down beside him.

"Oh Zero, not your poor hair again!" a female voice said, and Zero felt the fingers being pried loose from his ponytail. He smiled as he looked into the floor to see Iris' reflection, working busily and beaming a smile back at him.

"There you go! Now we're even, I guess," she lilted happily, and helped pull him to his feet. For a dumbfounded moment, his jaw remained open as he looked down at her waiting face.

"Thank you… I'm so relieved you weren't hurt." He took her in a warm embrace. "Let's get you out of here," he whispered.

The two slipped out the door that he'd come through earlier, and Zero sent Iris off to safety in a town nearby, with a wistful glance as she disappeared into the horizon. His mind replayed their last exchange as he charged full speed back towards the auditorium.

_Will I ever see you again?_

_I don't know when, but you will, one day._

He barged through the doors to the sounds of gunfire and screams of terror, which refocused his mind on the task at hand. On this day, he would be more than just a destroyer, a defender of strangers known only as victims, more than a Maverick Hunter.


	9. Epilogue

Maverick Hunter was a hive of activity. The celebrations marked the first day after the fall of Doppler's Maverick threat, thanks to the efforts of X and Zero. Maverick Hunter HQ had itself been terrorized in the attacks, and now that the offending Reploids, led by Sigma, had been flushed out, Zero and his new partner, X, were being treated to a regal meal and a special ceremony heralding their heroism.

Still, for all the congratulatory handshakes and words of thanks from the scores of admirers that clamoured to meet him, Zero, the man of the hour, was finding himself distracted. He'd even retired to his quarters early, just to avoid being seen in such a despondent state on a night of celebration. Nothing would honour him more greatly than to have Iris return to Maverick Hunter – but could she? Would she?

By now, Zero mused, Iris, having discovered the inherent danger of being associated with the Hunter organization, must have moved on with her life - found a vocation in the arts, perhaps…

Zero shut his eyes and smiled. He'd barely known her enough to be guessing at her hobbies and interests, yet it seemed an ideal fit for one of her beauty and style... Iris, herself, being a work of art.

He had closed himself off from the festivities for an hour now, slouching limply in his chair in the darkness of his room, dozing ever closer to sleep, when an usher Reploid came knocking on his door. Zero was slightly irritated that his tranquility, albeit a sullen one, was being so rudely disturbed, especially when his lights were clearly off. He had been lost in a bottomless sea of thoughts neverending, of the events that had come to pass in the year leading up to this celebration, when Sigma had been ousted a third time as leader of the Mavericks and retreated into seclusion (to where, Maverick Hunter could never know). All that could be known for sure was that he would re-emerge someday, as he had the year previous, continuing the annual cycle of destruction he'd started on that day of induction within the HQ itself. And when next he did, whenever it was fated to be, Zero simply wished that he could keep Iris out of harm's way.

"Yes, what is it?" Zero muttered a little gruffly, the hour of silence clogging his throat, and corrected himself in a clearer tone. "Come in, please."

The doors whisked open as he tapped the release button to reveal his visitors. Without rising from his seat, he looked up grimly, his gaze settling on the unknown figure rather than the familiar usher. He smiled weakly – it was all the hospitality he could muster for this intruder, whose identity he couldn't discern in the unlit room.

He averted his eyes and grumbled, "I'm not seeing guests right now. I'll come back out in a few minutes."

"Zero!" His ears pricked up at the shrillness that strained a soothing, familiar voice. "What is the matter with you, hiding out like this on your big night!"

Zero's eyes fluttered open with a pang of realization. In an instant, the grimness dissolved from his face and his heart. He blinked hard at the girl through the shadows - brown hair swaying just above her shoulders, a tilted beret adorning her head. It really was her!

"Iris!"

"Who else, silly? I promised I would come back, didn't I? And I'm going to need somewhere to stay before they have a room available for me… I thought I would get a better reception than this, honestly." She winked mischievously, but Zero could see that she was a little hurt.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" He stood and, in a single stride, had his arms around her. "I'm so happy you're safe, Iris… of course you can stay here, as long as you like." He stepped back to face her. "I've been waiting for you for so long…"

He motioned the usher to leave, and with a swish, the door shut behind them.


End file.
